Minecraft

Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER, when paired together, deliver an extraordinary performance profile in Minecraft. The measurement database records this combination at rank 778 out of 3710 tested combos for this game, placing it comfortably within the top quarter of all systems evaluated. Across every resolution and preset level tested, the average frame rate never falls below 105 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS playability threshold used throughout the database. The recorded data shows a system that is not merely capable of running Minecraft, but one that consistently produces frame rates suitable for high refresh rate displays at even the most demanding settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combination spans three resolutions and four preset levels, with average frame rates ranging from a low of 105 FPS to a high of 455 FPS. The database records average FPS values for all settings, with minimum and maximum values only available for the Medium preset at each resolution.

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest raw performance. The Low preset produces an average of 455 FPS, the highest of any recorded configuration. Moving to Medium, the average drops to 418 FPS, with a minimum of 356 FPS and a maximum of 481 FPS. The High preset reduces the average to 385 FPS. The Ultra preset, which is the most demanding, still manages an average of 318 FPS. These figures indicate that at 1080p, the system is so far above the playability threshold that even the heaviest settings leave substantial headroom.

At 2560x1440, performance remains exceptionally strong but begins to show the influence of increased pixel count. The Low preset averages 390 FPS. Medium averages 359 FPS, with a minimum of 305 FPS and a maximum of 413 FPS. High averages 321 FPS. Ultra averages 201 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra at this resolution is 189 FPS, which is a significant reduction, but the absolute values are still far above what most displays can show.

At 3840x2160, 4K resolution, the system still performs admirably. The Low preset averages 267 FPS. Medium averages 212 FPS, with a minimum of 180 FPS and a maximum of 243 FPS. High averages 168 FPS. Ultra averages 105 FPS. Even at the most demanding combination of 4K resolution and Ultra settings, the average frame rate is 75% above the playability threshold. The minimum recorded value across all settings at 4K is 180 FPS, which occurs at Medium settings.

Comparing the same preset across resolutions reveals consistent scaling. For Medium settings, the average goes from 418 FPS at 1080p, to 359 FPS at 1440p, to 212 FPS at 4K. That represents a 50% reduction from 1080p to 4K. For Ultra settings, the averages are 318 FPS at 1080p, 201 FPS at 1440p, and 105 FPS at 4K. The reduction from 1080p to 4K at Ultra is 67%. The data indicates that resolution scaling is more pronounced at higher preset levels, which is consistent with increased GPU load.

The only settings with recorded minimum and maximum values are Medium at each resolution. At 1080p, the spread from minimum to maximum is 125 FPS (356 to 481). At 1440p, the spread is 108 FPS (305 to 413). At 4K, the spread is 63 FPS (180 to 243). The narrowing spread at higher resolutions suggests that frame pacing becomes more consistent as the GPU becomes more heavily utilized.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Minecraft at 60 FPS at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: Yes. The database records an average of 318 FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings. This is more than five times the playability threshold of 60 FPS.

Q: What is the lowest average frame rate recorded for this combination?

A: The lowest average is 105 FPS, which occurs at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings. Even this most demanding configuration clears the 60 FPS threshold by a wide margin.

Q: How does performance scale from 1080p to 4K at the same settings?

A: At Medium settings, the average drops from 418 FPS at 1080p to 212 FPS at 4K. At Ultra settings, the average drops from 318 FPS at 1080p to 105 FPS at 4K. The reduction is proportionally larger at Ultra settings.

Q: Which resolution and preset combination produces the highest average frame rate?

A: The highest recorded average is 455 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the only configuration that exceeds 450 FPS in the measured data.

Q: Are there any settings where the system drops below 60 FPS?

A: No. Every recorded average, minimum, and maximum frame rate is above 60 FPS. The lowest minimum value recorded is 180 FPS at 4K Medium settings.

Q: What is the difference between High and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, High averages 321 FPS while Ultra averages 201 FPS. The difference is 120 FPS, or roughly 37% lower performance at Ultra compared to High.

CPU and GPU Roles

The recorded data allows for an analysis of how the Intel Core i5-9400 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER each contribute to Minecraft performance. The game is known for being sensitive to single-threaded CPU performance, and the processor has a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 935 and a Geekbench single-core score of 1389. The multi-core scores are 6629 in Cinebench R23 and 5141 in Geekbench. The CPU sits at the 47th percentile among all tested processors, indicating an average standing in general compute tasks.

The GPU, in contrast, is far above average. The RTX 4080 SUPER has a Passmark G3D score of 34245 and ranks at the 86th percentile among all tested GPUs. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 6600. The combination of a mid-pack CPU with an upper-tier GPU suggests that in most games, the GPU would be the primary driver of high frame rates, but Minecraft's engine can place significant demands on the CPU.

The resolution scaling data provides indirect evidence of this balance. At 1080p, the system reaches 455 FPS at Low settings. At 1440p, the same settings produce 390 FPS. At 4K, the Low preset averages 267 FPS. If the CPU were the sole bottleneck, resolution would have little effect on frame rates, since the CPU workload does not scale with pixel count. The observed reduction from 1080p to 4K at Low settings (455 to 267 FPS, a 41% reduction) indicates that the GPU is becoming more involved as resolution increases.

The difference between Low and Ultra presets further clarifies the roles. At 1080p, Low averages 455 FPS and Ultra averages 318 FPS, a 30% reduction. At 4K, Low averages 267 FPS and Ultra averages 105 FPS, a 61% reduction. The larger preset penalty at 4K suggests that the GPU is the limiting factor at high resolution with high settings, while at 1080p, the CPU may be reaching its limit in terms of frame generation.

The CPU's single-core performance, measured at 935 in Cinebench R23 and 1389 in Geekbench, is likely the reason why frame rates plateau around 400-455 FPS at lower resolutions. The GPU, with its 10240 shading units and 52.22 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, has far more capacity than needed for Minecraft at 1080p. The data shows that increasing resolution from 1080p to 1440p reduces Low preset performance by 14% (455 to 390 FPS), which is a modest change. Increasing from 1440p to 4K reduces it by 31% (390 to 267 FPS). This pattern indicates that the CPU can sustain high frame rates at lower resolutions, but the GPU workload grows substantially as pixel count increases.

At Ultra settings, the pattern reverses. From 1080p to 1440p, the average drops from 318 to 201 FPS, a 37% reduction. From 1440p to 4K, it drops from 201 to 105 FPS, a 48% reduction. The Ultra preset adds graphical features that weigh more heavily on the GPU, making the GPU the dominant factor at high settings across all resolutions. The CPU's role is still present, as evidenced by the fact that at 1080p Ultra, the system only reaches 318 FPS, which is lower than the 455 FPS at Low settings, but the GPU scaling dominates the overall curve.

The Verdict

The verdict from the database is unambiguous: this combination can run Minecraft at 60 FPS or higher at every resolution and preset level tested. The playable settings list for 3840x2160 includes High, Low, Medium, and Ultra, with the best settings being Ultra at an average of 105 FPS. At 2560x1440, all four presets are playable, with Ultra averaging 201 FPS. At 1920x1080, all presets are playable, with Ultra averaging 318 FPS.

The 4K Ultra result of 105 FPS is the weakest recorded performance, but it still exceeds the 60 FPS threshold by 75%. This means that a user with a 4K display can enable the highest preset and still experience smooth gameplay. For users with 1440p or 1080p displays, the system provides enormous headroom, with even the most demanding settings producing frame rates that exceed 200 FPS at 1440p and over 300 FPS at 1080p.

The data supports a clear conclusion: this system is not just playable in Minecraft, it is overkill for the game in most configurations. The only scenario where the system approaches the threshold is at 4K Ultra, and even there, it is far from the limit. The system could likely handle much higher refresh rates than 60 Hz at all settings, making it suitable for 120 Hz or 144 Hz displays at 1440p and below.

How This Combo Ranks

The database ranks this Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER combination at 778 out of 3710 tested combos for Minecraft. This places it in the 79th percentile of all tested systems, meaning roughly 21% of combinations perform better. Given that the CPU is at the 47th percentile and the GPU is at the 86th percentile, the combo ranking reflects the CPU's limiting influence. The game's reliance on single-thread performance means that the mid-tier processor holds back what is otherwise a top-tier graphics card.

The rank of 778 is notable because it is lower than the GPU's individual percentile of 86. This suggests that in Minecraft, the CPU is a significant constraint. Systems with faster CPUs and similar GPUs would likely rank higher, while systems with the same CPU but slower GPUs would rank lower. The recorded frame rates, however, are so high that the rank does not translate to any practical limitation. A rank of 778 out of 3710 still represents a system that outperforms 79% of all tested combos.

Best Settings per Resolution

For users prioritizing the highest visual quality while maintaining at least 60 FPS, the database identifies the best settings at each resolution.

At 1920x1080, the best settings are Ultra, with an average of 318 FPS. This is the most demanding preset, and it clears the 60 FPS threshold by a factor of more than five. Users can enable every graphical feature without concern.

At 2560x1440, the best settings are also Ultra, with an average of 201 FPS. This represents a 37% reduction compared to 1080p Ultra, but the absolute performance is still more than triple the playability threshold.

At 3840x2160, the best settings are Ultra, with an average of 105 FPS. This is the only resolution where the best settings produce a result below 200 FPS. The 105 FPS average is still 75% above the 60 FPS threshold, so even at 4K, users can run the game at maximum quality.

In all three cases, the most demanding preset remains playable. There is no resolution in the measured data where the system requires a reduction to High or Medium settings to maintain 60 FPS.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The database provides nearest rival comparisons for both the CPU and GPU, based on average benchmark scores. These alternatives indicate what other hardware would produce similar performance in this combination.

For the Intel Core i5-9400, the nearest rivals are the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, the Intel Core i7-10710U, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500, and the Intel Core i3-10305. The i7-1068NG7 has an average score 0.2% lower than the i5-9400, making it effectively identical. The i7-10710U is 0.3% higher, the Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 is 0.4% higher, and the i3-10305 is 0.4% lower. These processors would all deliver nearly the same frame rates in Minecraft when paired with the RTX 4080 SUPER, since the game's CPU demand is primarily single-threaded and all four rivals fall within 0.4% of the i5-9400's average score.

For the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER, the nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X, the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB, and the AMD Radeon 8060S. The RTX 4080 is 0.1% lower in average score, making it a direct equivalent. The Radeon Pro W5700X is 1.1% higher, the RX 6750 GRE 12 GB is 2.7% higher, and the Radeon 8060S is 2.8% higher. These deltas are all small, meaning that swapping the RTX 4080 SUPER for any of these GPUs would produce very similar performance in Minecraft.

The implication is that a system with an i5-9400 and an RTX 4080 would perform nearly identically to the measured combination, as would a system with an i7-1068NG7 and an RTX 4080 SUPER. The largest deviation among all rivals is 2.8% for the GPU and 0.4% for the CPU, which translates to a few frames per second at most in the recorded data. For users considering alternative builds, any of these CPUs paired with any of these GPUs would deliver frame rates that are effectively indistinguishable from the values recorded for this combination.